


Redwood

by afinch



Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-24 02:43:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12003309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afinch/pseuds/afinch
Summary: The last petal falls.The Beast doesn't change back.





	Redwood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rosencrantz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosencrantz/gifts).



The rain fell and the Beast lay still. Belle cried into his fur. Gaston was dead, but what would happen to her, now that the Beast was dead too? Could she return to the village and pretend it had never happened? A light formed and Belle shrank back in fear. The Beast stirred, and Belle's heart jumped. 

"Are you …" she breathed. 

He rolled over and stared at Belle, then at his hands. 

"I don't understand," he said. 

From inside, both of them could hear the sounds of excited people laughing and cheering. A little boy ran out of the house, "Prince? Prince?" He stopped short at seeing the Beast and backed up. He looked to Belle, confused. 

"But Miss, you broke the curse!"

The Beast let out a low growl and the boy let out a shriek and ran back into the castle. 

Belle looked at Beast.

"I don't understand," she said softly. "What just happened?"

The Beast looked at his hands, mournfully. "The curse didn't break. You were supposed to break the curse."

A short stout man ran out of the castle towards them. He looked at Belle, but then to the Beast. "Prince?" he asked, sounding confused. "The boy was right."

"Who are you?" Belle asked.

"Cogsworth," said both the man and Beast. "The curse didn't break for you. Belle …?"

The Beast growled lowly. "Belle professed her love."

Cogsworth looked shocked, "But, Prince, you are …"

"I do love you!" Belle said, rushing to the Beast. "I do."

Beast shoved her away. "Put her in the castle," Beast ordered. Cogsworth nodded, and took her hand. "Come, Belle. The Prince needs to be alone."

Belle tried to pull back, but Cogsworth held firm. "I must check on my father," Belle protested. "The villagers-"

"Gaston is dead. The villagers will not come back. Lumiere, Mrs Potts, and I will calm the villagers. The Prince has ordered you to the castle. I am honor-bound to obey. We had thought you were the one. It appears we were wrong." Cogsworth said this all matter-of-factly. "I will attend to you after I have seen to the Prince."

Belle said nothing as Cogsworth led her through the castle to her bedroom. She said nothing as he closed the door and she heard it lock. She searched desperately for the mirror, hoping to check on her father. Would the villagers re-imprison her father? In desperation, she beat her fists on the door, "Let me see my father!" she screamed. "I came back for you! Let me see my father!"

She beat the door until her fists were raw. She fell back on the bed, sobbing. It was a long while until she fell asleep. 

*

In the morning, she was woken quickly by a young woman. "Hello," said the woman, and Belle placed her as the featherduster. 

"Lumaia?" she confirmed, and the woman nodded. 

"The Prince would like to see you," Lumaia said. "Do you need Alessandra's assistance?"

Belle rubbed her eyes. "I can dress myself without the wardro- Alessandra's help. What does he want? He seemed mad last night."

"I don't know," said Lumaia. "You were supposed to break the curse. You only broke it for us. He is still the Beast. Something went wrong."

"I said I lov- I _do_ love him," protested Belle. "I want to check on my father, but Cogworth-"

"I'll speak to Lumiere," said Lumaia. "Be patient with the Prince. We have waited a long time for this."

Belle nodded and Lumaia left her to get dressed. She dressed quickly, unsure of what to wear. A simple dress, then. She wasn't sure the mood the Beast would be in, and was certain he would be like when she had first arrived - angry and bitter. At least now she knew how to tend to him.

Lumiere was waiting outside her door when she was ready. He bowed slightly to her, "I am sorry for last night. Cogsworth was-"

Belle held up a hand, "I want to see my father."

"Mrs Potts and I spoke to the villagers this morning. Your father is fine. I will speak to the Prince and arrange a visit soon."

Belle's heart dropped at this. "Am I not free to go?" 

Lumiere sighed. "I do not know," he admitted. "He had let you leave before, to save your father. Now that your father is safe, and the Prince safe from the villagers, I do not know."

"But I love him," Belle protested. "Is that not enough?"

Lumiere said nothing and Belle took his lead and did not ask any more questions. He led her through the castle, to the West Wing, where the rose had been kept. There was no more rose under the glass dome. The Beast stood next to it, looking enraged. Belle shrank back against Lumiere, who held her gently. 

"Prince," said Lumiere. "Belle has asked to see her father. May I escort her to the village after you two have finished talking?"

The Beast stared impassively at Lumiere for a moment. "Leave us," he ordered, and Lumiere stepped away from Belle to bow lightly to his Prince. He returned to Belle to give her a quick hug.

"I'll take you regardless," the former candlestick whispered, and Belle was comforted by this. Lumiere quickly took his leave, and Belle and the Beast were alone.

She said nothing, staring only at him. He was going to have to break the silence first, and he did. "You love me," he said. "Like this. As a Beast."

Belle nodded, "Yes, yes, I love you. I do. You are kind, and compassionate, and -"

She shrank back as the Beast drew himself up to his full height. "And now?" he demanded. "What do you think of me now?"

She took a deep breath, "I still love you, even if you are angry."

"You are a fool," the Beast said, turning away from her. "You have cursed me to this life. You have freed my servants, but your love has cursed me. If I am to be cursed, so too shall you. I will permit you to visit your father, and then you will stay here, until I decide what to do with you."

Belle's heart broke. "Please," she begged him. "Please, there must be a way to break this curse."

"The petals have fallen," he said simply. "It is done." Then he called to Lumiere, and gave him his instructions. 

*

At her father's, Belle sobbed against him, clinging to him tightly. She didn't want to let go, not for a second. 

"And you must pretend to the villagers that all is well," Belle cried. "They'll surely kill us all if they know the truth."

Maurice stared at his daughter. "My love, you do not have to go."

Lumiere cleared his throat behind them. "Actually, sir, under orders of the Prince …"

Belle broke into a fresh round of crying, and her father soothed her. "It will be alright," he whispered to her. "You have won his heart once, you can do it again. We will find a way through."

To Lumiere, Maurice said, "You keep watch over her, you make sure she stays safe."

Lumiere bowed lightly to Maurice, "Of course, sir. She will be well-attended."

With parting looks back, Belle left the cottage, keeping her head high. She would not let the villagers see her misery. 

*

Life at the castle adjusted. The servants were still loyal to their Prince, even in human form, and still kind to Belle, though she had not fully broken the curse. She kept away from him, and he from her. She visited the library often, desperate to find a way to break the curse that held him hostage. 

One day he met her in the library, holding a dusty book, open to a specific page. He seemed to be reading from it as he spoke to her. 

"We shall have a child," the Beast said. "The kingdom needs a Prince they can gaze upon. Only then will the curse be truly broken."

Belle didn't know how to take this. Would he force her to have a child with him?

"The child must be conceived in love," the Beast continued, and relief flooded through Belle. "I must love you, as you love me. I cannot be so angry at you, for loving me. You saved my life, and I am grateful."

Belle only nodded. She wasn't sure what to say. 

"I will not lie with you until we have said vows," said the Beast. "Lumiere is to arrange things. He has access to my accounts now, and can make the necessary payments."

"I do love you," Belle said quietly. "But I will not marry a man who sees me as a means to an end."

"YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!" roared the Beast, and Belle backed up, terrified. The Beast seemed to recognize his error, and calmed down. "I shall prove it to you," he said, after a moment. "You saw me worthy once, you will see it again."

Belle looked around the library, full of wonders she could only begin to imagine. It was here she had fallen for the Beast. Could she do it again?

"Come," said the Beast. "There is a book I want to show you." 

He held out his hand and Belle took it, knowing that he would not have to go far to prove himself to her; she had already given him her heart, fully.


End file.
